SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A Missouri man who started his own religious ministry has been charged with illegally circumcising two teenagers.

The Springfield News-Leader reports that 47-year-old Curtis Abbott, of Nixa, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of child endangerment and one count of unauthorized practice of medicine or surgery. Abbott sent a statement to the News-Leader calling the allegations “false.”

A hearing is scheduled for next week.

Many details of the case, including a motive, haven’t been made public because the case was handled by a grand jury.

Abbott founded an organization called “Restore Bible Culture.” Court filings in his divorce finalized this summer say he said he has had “multiple prophetic communications.”

Abbott admitted his ministry had “several false starts in years past.”

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